Reinforced coin box construction



Sept. 5, 1967 w. B. ITMAN 3,339,835

REINFORCED COIN BOX CONSTRUCTION Filed June 23, 1966 30 52 52 1 20 12 as45' H" 40 i. "'"H I l.

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MAL/4M 8 [mu/v L 47' TOE/WW8 United States Patent 3,339 835 REINFORCEDcom Box CONSTRUCTION William B. Itman, 1614 Vincent Ave. N.,Minneapolis, Minn. 55411 Filed June 23, 1966, Ser. No. 559,756 8 Claims.(Cl. 2321) This invention relates to a tamper proof coin boxconstruction and more particularly to an improved coin box for mountingon a coin operated machine to prevent tampering and pilferage bybreak-in.

Coin box constructions which are used with coin operated machines andthe like take a variety of forms and constructions depending upon theirlocation relative to the machine and the type of protection they are toaiford. Thus many coin boxes may be included as part of the machine inwhich a variety of special locking devices are incorporated therewith.Still others include separate and sealed coin drawers with speciallocking provisions to prevent tampering by servicemen. The present coinbox construction is designed to prevent pilfering of coin boxes exposedon a coin operated machine by break-in such as by prying the cash drawerfrom the box with a tool or by unauthorized keys. Such coin box unitsare used on coin operated machines such as automatic washers, dryers andthe like where the coin box is not included in the machine but is addedthereto and exposed on the surface of the same. Under thesecircumstances coin boxes are normally a target for pilfering,particularly where such areas are not kept under continuous surveilance.

In the present invention, an improved coin box con: struction of thetamper proof type is provided which will prevent break-in throughpartial destruction of the box. In this improved invention, the additionof a reinforcing structure added to a conventional coin box protects thecoin drawer such that the reinforcing structure or the coin drawercannot be pealed from the remaining portion of the housing with the coindrawer pried therefrom. In the improved coin box construction protectiveside plates and a recess protective cover plate is positioned over thecoin drawer to provide a substantially flush surface which will preventthe entrance of any prying tool and will prevent this type of tamperingwhile permitting normal access to the cash drawer for servicing andremoval of coins therein. Further a protective cover on the lockmechanism guards against pilfering by prying or lock picking and throughthe use of an unauthorized key in that a special tool is required toremove the protective cover from the lock.

Therefore it is the principal object of this invention to provide animproved coin box construction.

Another object of this invention is to provide an im-- proved tamperproof coin box which may be readily adapted to existing equipment oradded as a modification to conventional coin boxes.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an improved coinbox construction which is easy to install, is low in cost and issimplified in usage.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent from areading of the attached description together with the drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the improved coin box mounted on acoin operated machine,

FIGURE 2 is an exploded perspective view of the improved coin box withthe coin drawer open and with parts broken away,

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view of a portion of the coin box taken alongthe lines 3-3 in FIGURE 1, and

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view of the improved coin box taken along thelines-44 in FIGURE 1.

My invention in an improved coin box construction is particularlyadapted for use with coin operated machines in which the coin box ismounted on the surface thereof and exposed thereon. Thus as is shown inFIGURE 1, the coin box 10 is mounted on the top of washing machine 11,which will represent a surface of any coin operated machine. The coinbox 10 is generally rectangular in configuration and cross-section andis formed of a housing 12 of a stamped metal construction, suitablywelded together to form an enclosure. The housing 12 includes aplurality of apertures 15 in the base thereof, and an access opening 16,through which the housing is mounted on the surface of the machine withwhich it is to be associated and also through which suitable controlwires or conduit may pass to connect with the machine for the purpose ofcontrolling the same.

The housing 12 is internally divided into two compartments through apartition 20 to provide a mechanism chamber or compartment 22 and a coinreceiving chamber 24. The mechanism chamber has a coin insertingmechanism 28 positioned on the face portion 30 of the housing whichextends through a suitable aperture (not shown) into the interior of themechanism chamber and disposed above an aperture indicated at 32 in thepartition leading to the coin receiving chamber. The mechanism chamberalso includes a suitable control such as switching and a timingapparatus indicated generally at 35 which is operated in theconventional manner from the coin inserting mechanism to provide a timedcircuit closure and control to the associated device or machine 11 withwhich the coin box is associated. The face of the housing 30 alsoincludes an aperture 38 therein communicating with the coin receivingchamber and substantially as large as the same extending partially alongthe extent of the housing and against a vertical portion of thepartition 20. Poistioned in the coin receiving chamber and ex tendingthrough the aperature 38 is a coin drawer 40 having a face plate 42adapted to be normally flush with the surface or face 30 of the housingwhen the drawer is in the closed position and filling the aperture 38.The coin drawer has a lock mechanism 45 in the form of a tubular shaft46 which extends through a journal section 48 in the coin drawer face 42and having a threaded extent adapted to fit into a threaded bushing 49positioned in the vertical portion of the partition 20 for the purposeof locking the drawer within the housing. The exposed portion of thelock mechanism has a suitable key receiving surface (not shown) at thejournal portion 45 and the shaft 46 extends across the upper surface ofthe coin drawer in a conventional manner and may be positioned at anypoint in the face of the coin drawer.

Coin box constructions of this general type are subject to tamperingsuch as by prying with a suitable tool to bend or distort the stampedmetal and allow access to the coin drawer for pilfering of coinstherein. In the present invention the improved coin box construction isprovided with a reinforcing structure in the form of heavy metalnon-bendable plates or plate members 50 and 52 which extend along thesides of the housing and across the top of the same with theplate-likemembers 50 and 52 fitting together with a tongue and groovetype massing surface, as indicated at 54. The plate-like members aresecured to the sides of the housing and top of the same through suitablescrew or rivet means, shown in phantom at 53, which preferably extendthrough the wall of the housing from the interior thereof and into theplate-like metal surface to hold the same on the housing from the insideand eliminate exposed connecting portions which could be severed. In thepresent disclosure I have shown the plate 50 to be substantially Lshaped in form covering the one side and the top of the housing andextending back along the length of the same a distance substantially thesame or slightly larger than the length of the coin receiving chamber24. Plate 52 is of the same length dimension. It will be recognized thatvariations in this reinforcing structure may be provided to cover onlythe sides of the housing or to cover the sides and top of the housing,if desired. The edges of the plate-like members 50, 52 at the front face30 of the housing, as shown herein, extend or project beyond the housinga predetermined distance substantially equal to the thickness of theplate-like members which distance may vary as desired. The particularthickness dimension of plate-like members to be non-bendable will besubstantially thicker than the stamped material forming the housing 12itself. However, these dimensions may vary in accord with the strengthof the material used in the reinforcing structure. Associated with thereinforcing plate-like members 50, 52 is a cover plate 55 havingsubstantially the same dimension as the face 42 of a coin drawer andadapted to fit flush with and adjacent the same. The cover plate 55 hasflanged edges 56 which fit into grooves or recesses 60 in the exposed orprojecting edges of the plates 50, 52 or over a portion of the same suchthat the cover plate will fit into the groove recesses 60 in the platemembers 50, 52 at the flange portions 55 and be substantially flushtherewith. Because of the coin inserting mechanism 28, the cover platewill extend only slightly above the edge of the coin drawer to protectthe opening 38 therein. The cover plate 55 is secured to the face 42 ofthe coindrawer by means of the lock mechanism 45 which extends throughan aperture 62 in the cover plate 55 and fits snugly therein. Thejournal section 48 of the lock mechanism 45 is flanged, as at 63, tohold the plate 55 against the face of the coin drawer and a lock washer65 threaded on the journal section 48 inside the drawer holds the coverplate 55 and coin drawer together. With this arrangement, the keyreceiving surface of the lock is recessed from the face in the coverplate 55 but accessible to a key type tool adapted to rotate the shaft46 relative to the bushing 49 in the partition 20 to connect or releasethe shaft and hence the coin drawer therefrom in the openingand closingoperation of the coin drawer. The cover plate, being of the samenonbendable type material as the reinforcing side plates 50, 52 will notbe subject to bending and will provide with the side plates a reinforcedstructure which is relatively tamper proof while permitting ready accessor opening and closing of the coin drawer. If desired, the cover plate55 may also be secured to the face surface 42 of the coin drawer throughother additional attaching means such as a rivet, not shown. Thus thecover plate will move with the coin drawer in the opening and closingdirection and in the closed position will present a substantially flushsurface with the reinforcing side plates so that no prying tool may beinserted therebetween.

Also included in the cover plate 55 and adapted to fit into the aperturetherein through which lock 45 extends is a lock cover member 67. Cover67 is a disc of the same or similar material as that which the coverplate is made of with such dimension so as to fill and snugly fit intothe aperture in the front of the lock 45 and cover the lock or keyreceiving end thereof with the face of the cover member beingsubstantially flush with the surface of the cover plate 55. Cover member67 has a spring 66 attached to the inner surface of the same which facesthe lock 45 so as to urge the cover member out of the aperture forreleasing the cover member from the cover plate. The cover member 67 isheld in the aperture to cover the lock by placing the member in theaperture against the force of the spring and threading a set screw 68 ina tapped aperture 80 positioned in the cover plate so that the saidscrew engages the edge of the cover member to hold the same in theaperture in the flush relationship with the surface of the cover plate55. This will prevent further tampering and pilfering with the coin boxby force or with a key. The set screw 68 may have a special toolreceiving end (not shown) so that only a certain tool will release saidscrew in the aperture 80. Aperture 80 for the said screw extends fromthe aperture in the cover plate in which the lock is positioned to anexposed edge of the cover plate for tool access purposes.

This improved coin box construction or the modification thereto may bereadily incorporated into existing coin box constructions to protect thesame against tampering and pilfering. While I have shown the side platesas covering a portion of the sides and top of the housing for the coinbox, it will be recognized that this location may vary depending uponhow the box is secured to the machine with which it is to be associated.Thus the reinforcing structure will be applied only to the exposedsurface of the coin box and may be applied over the entire surface ofthe same. It will be recognized, however, within the scope of thepresent invention that the reinforcing structure will protect the coinreceiving chamber and the coin box therein by covering at least theportion of the housing enclosing the same. The improved coin boxconstruction is low in cost and readily applicable to existing designsas well as new units to provide a tamper proof coin box constructionwhich will prevent break-in.

In considering this invention it is intended that the present disclosurebe primarily illustrative and the scope of the invention should bedetermined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A tamper proof coin box for use with a coin operated machinecomprising, a housing having a coin receiving chamber and a mechanismchamber therein with a partition in the housing dividing the chambers, acoin inserting mechanism attached to a face of the housing and extendinginto the mechanism chamber, an aperture in said face of the housingcommunicating with the coin receiving chamber, a coin drawer slidablypositioned in the coin receiving chamber and extending through andfilling said aperture in the face of said housing, said coin drawerhaving a face exposed in said aperture and normally flush with said faceof the housing in the closed position, said housing being mounted on asurface of the coin operated machine with mechanism in said mechanismchamber being interconnected with the coin operated machine, areinforcing structure covering a portion of the housing on surfaces ofthe same not in contact with the coin operated machine, said reinforcingstructure projecting a given distance beyond said face of the housingand the face of the coin drawer, a cover plate connected to the face ofthe coin drawer and having a thickness dimension substantially equal tothe distance the reinforcing structure projects beyond the face of thehousing to provide a substantially flush surface therewith, and lockmeans extending from the exposed surface of the cover plate through thecoin drawer to cooperate with securing means positioned in the partitionwithin the housing, said lock means including a portion thereof securingthe cover plate to the face of the coin drawer.

2. The tamper proof coin box of claim 1 in which the reinforcingstructure includes at least two plate-like members which fit together ina tongue and groove type joint.

3. The tamper proof coin box of claim 2 in which the reinforcingstructure is attached to the housing by securing means extendingoutwardly from the housing into the plate-like members from within thehousing.

4. The tamper proof coin box of claim 3 in which the cover plate hasflanges along at least two edges thereof which fit into recesses intothe projection of the platelike members of the reinforcing structureextending beyond the housing.

5. The tamper proof coin box of claim 4 in which the reinforcingstructure has a dimension which covers the portion of the housing inwhich the coin receiving chamber is located.

6. The tamper proof coin box of claim 5 in which the reinforcingstructure surrounds the exposed portion of the housing in which the coinreceiving chamber is located.

7. The tamper proof coin box of claim 1 in which the lock means isinserted through an aperture in the cover plate, and including a covermember positioned in said aperture in the cover plate and selectivelysecured therein to enclose and protect said lock means.

8. The tamper proof coin box of claim 7 and including a set screwthreaded into a tapped aperture in the cover plate which extends from anedge of the cover plate to said aperture and cover member therein toengage and secure the cover member in the cover plate.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS FRANCIS K. ZUGEL, PrimaryExaminer. 0

1. A TAMPER PROOF COIN BOX FOR USE WITH A COIN OPERATED MACHINECOMPRISING, A HOUSING HAVING A COIN RECEIVING CHAMBER AND A MECHANISMCHAMBER THEREIN WITH A PARTITION IN THE HOUSING DIVIDING THE CHAMBERS, ACOIN INSERTING MECHANISM ATTACHED TO A FACE OF THE HOUSING AND EXTENDINGINTO THE MECHANISM CHAMBER, AN APERTURE IN SAID FACE OF THE HOUSINGCOMMUNICATING WITH THE COIN RECEIVING CHAMBER, A COIN DRAWER SLIDABLYPOSITIONED IN TTHE COIN RECEIVING CHAMBER AND EXTENDING THROUGH ANDFILLING SAID APERTURE IN THE FACE OF SAID HOUSING, SAID COIN DRAWERHAVING A FACE EXPOSED IN SAID APERTURE AND NORMALLY FLUSH WITH SAID FACEOF THE HOUSING IN THE CLOSED POSITION, SAID HOUSING BEING MOUNTED ON ASURFACE OF THE COIN OPERATED MACHINE WITH MECHANISM IN SAID MECHANISMCHAMBER BEING INTERCONNECTED WITH THE COIN OPERATED MACHINE, AREINFORCING STRUCTURE COVERING A PORTION OF THE HOUSING ON SURFACES OFTHE SAME NOT IN CONTACT WITH THE COIN OPERATED MACHINE, SAID REINFORCINGSTRUCTURE PROJECTING A GIVEN DISTANCE BEYOND SAID FACE OF THE HOUSINGAND THE FACE OF THE COIN DRAWER, A COVER PLATE CONNECTED TO THE FACE OFTHE COIN DRAWER AND HAVING A THICKNESS DIMENSION SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TOTHE DISTANCE THE REINFORCING STRUCTURE PROJECTS BEYOND THE FACE F THEHOUSING TO PROVIDE A SUBSTANTIALLY FLUSH SURFACE THEREWITH, AND LOCKMEANS EXTENDING FROM THE EXPOSED SURFACE OF THE COVER PLATE THROUGH THECOIN DRAWER TO COOPERATE WITH SECURING MEANS POSITIONED IN THE PARTITIONWITHIN THE HOUSING, SAID LOCK MEANS INCLUDING A PORTION THEREOF SECURINGTHE COVER PLATE TO THE FACE OF THE COIN DRAWER.